AIRCLEAN

AIRCLEAN project (development of cabin air quality equipment for all aircraft segments)

The French AIRCLEAN project was selected as part of the Single Inter-Ministerial Fund’s 22nd call for projects (FUI-22) with the goal of treating aircraft cabin air to ensure the comfort and health of cabin crews and passengers. Improving air quality is becoming a major marketing advantage, one that is expected to greatly affect technological choices for future aircraft.

A standard on limit values for contaminants/pollutants in cabin air is therefore being developed as part of the GT 013 working group of BNAE/CEN-TC 436. The AIRCLEAN project’s key goal is to mature all the technological building blocks addressing all sources of pollutants potentially present in the cabin during the various stages of flight:

• ozone and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from outside are removed catalytically at low temperatures using functionalised equipment.
• VOCs and bio-contaminants generated in aircraft cabins are treated catalytically and/or photocatalytically.
• CO2 levels in the cabin are controlled using separation and capture techniques.
• Solutions for measuring air pollution concentration (VOC, CO2 and O3) are being studied.

There is a special focus on maturity studies for the solutions developed. The objective is to reach a technology readiness level of 5/6 by the end of the project. The equipment developed is intended to be integrated into LIEBHERR air systems with the aim of addressing all aircraft segments in the future: commercial, regional and business aviation. Once the AIRCLEAN project has been completed, the industrial partners in the consortium will use the results to advance the aviation sector by marketing them in LIEBHERR air systems.

Economic benefits are also expected to extend beyond the scope of the Airclean project through contributions to the construction and transport sectors.